Car-fender mechanism.



J. A. MAOMAHON.

GAR FENDER MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1910.

WITNESSES AT RNEY J. A. MAGMAHON.

GAR FENDER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1910.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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INVENTOR m Rm UNITED STATES PATENT, (OFFICE.

JOHN A. MACMAHON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-FENDER MECHANISM.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MAoMAHoN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Fender Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fenders or guards for trolley cars or the likeand more particularly to an improvement in trip and drop scoop fenders,such for example as shown in my former application, Serial No. 568,652,filed June 24, 1910 and has for an object to provide a fender whereinthe automatic operating mechanism may be rendered inoperative at certaintimes to prevent dropping of the guard or scoop.

It has been found'in practice that snow frequently falls to such adepth, before the snow plows have been put into use, as to cause anobstruction to the free passage of the tripping mechanism, whereby thesame is released and the fender or guard lowered. This'is of courseobjectionable and renders the device inefiective and impedes theprogress of the car. It has furthermore been found where the track isprovided with loops or curves of unusual diameter, that the car isbrought so close to the curbing as to project the front of the car overthe curb, thus causing the trip to contact therewith and release theguard, whereby either or both the trip and guard may be broken againstthe curb.

In my present invention I have provided a means whereby the operatingmovement thereof raises the trip and guard so that both are out of thepath of any obstruction which would cause damage to the fender or eflectan operation thereof at an undesired time.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawing one form thereof which is at pres ent preferred byme, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1910;

Patented May 5, 1914. Serial No. 583,020.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a form embodying my invention,showing in dotted lines the abnormal position of the fender when not inuse. Fig. 2 represents a detail of construction. Fig. 3 represents aportion of the fender showing the opposite side from that shown inFig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a detail of the locking and releasing lever.Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of my fender showing in full lines,the normal position of the guard and in dotted lines the operativeposition of the same. Fig. 6 represents a section on line w w, Fig. 5.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, in the above described figures, the fender isshown as at tached beneath the body of the car, thus bringing the scoopinto more effective relation to the front wheels of the car, while atthe same time the entire fender and its adjuncts are protected frominjury, due to collisions and the like, which may occur in the course ofordinary street traffic. Of course the device may be attached to thefront of the car, as is customary in the present practice, but such anarrangement is undesirable for the reason that all fenders which are soarranged take up unnecessary space and are exposed to the dangers oftraffic.

1 designates the sills of an ordinary car body, to each of which ispreferably attached a plurality of hangers 2 forming a support ing meansfor my novel fender mechanism, said hangers being fixedly secured bymeans of bolts 3 or equivalent devices in order to correctly positionthe mechanism with respect to the forward wheels of the car.

4 designates an arm pivotally secured to one of the hangers 2 by meansof a rod 5 or the like, thereby supporting one side of the fendermechanism properly in position.

6 designates an arm, in the present instance also pivoted on the rod 5and serving as a support for the opposite side of the fender and furtherserving. as an adjunct of the tripping mechanism, whereby the fender isdropped to operative position at certain times.

The arms 4 and 6 are each provided with a lug 7 for cooperation withextensions 8 of the sidearms 9 of the fender, it being apparentthatthese side arms 9 are each suitably pivoted at 10 to the arms 4 and 6,respectively, thus permitting relative movement between the severalparts whereby the fender proper may be folded up when de sired.

11 designates the side frames of the fender or guard proper, each ofwhich is provided in the present instance, with an arm 12. The sideframes 11 are united to the side arms 9 by means of a rod or tubularmember 13, whereby a pivotal movement between the two parts may beeffected so that the position indicated in dotted lines may be assumedand the guard raised at certain times.

let designates a link at each side of the guard, preferably havingpivotal connection at 15 to the hanger 2, while its opposite end isunited by means of a pin or bolt 16 to a pair of links 17 and 18, theformer being provided with a slot 19 with which cooperates the pin 20fixedly secured to the arm 12, while the latter is attached at its outerend to the tubular member 13, as will be apparent, and forms an elementto bring the fender into operative drop position.

21 designates a locking member pivotally secured, as here shown, to thelink 18 and having a notched end 22 for engagement with the pin 20. Thislocking member is also provided with a cam like finger 23, preferablypositioned between a pair of pins 24: on the side arm 9, whereby themember 12 may be released to allow the fender to assume the dotted lineposition at the proper time.

25 designates a link pivotally secured at 26 to one of the extensions 8and connected at its other end by a pin 27 or the like with the lever 28pivotally mounted on the hanger 2 or other suitable fixed point, saidlever being operated by a rod 28 connected in th present instance to abell crank 38, to which the control bar 39 is secured.

A pin 39 or the like is preferably provided to lock the above describedparts when the fender is in normal operation upon the car, so that theauxiliary device remains stationary and rigid.

The arm 6 is preferably provided at its forward end with a slot 29having a notch or recess 30 at one end thereoffor cooperation with apin31 attached to or forming a part of a link 32. This lint 32 forms a partof the trip mechanism and as here shown is pivotally secured at 33 toone of the hangers 2 and has fastened thereto a bar 341: forming aconnection between it and the buffer member or trip. This buffer memberor trip in the present instance consists of the side arms 35 suitablyconnected by a suitable buffer rod 35 or the like, positioned tointercept any obstacle which may be upon the track. These arms 35 arepivot-ally secured at 37 to the hanger 2 and it will be apparent thatany motion of these members in a rearward direction will. immediately betransmitted to the link 32 and thus remove the pin 31 from the notch orrecess 30 and allow the pin to be brought into engagement with the camlike surface of the slot 29, thereby effecting a positive movement ofthe arm 6 and its cooperative adjuncts. In connection with the pin 31and slot 30 it will be noted that these parts should be very accuratelyfitted and of suitable material to resist wear at this point, since thisconnection forms an important part in the stability of the fender, theconstruction being such that movement of the members is such as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings. It will thus be clear that when the pin 31 is inthe recess 30, the scoop or guard will be positively held in elevatedposition away from the road bed and the same can only be lowered ordropped by motion of the trip 35 in the direction of the arrows in Fig.1.

Particular attention is directed to the pivotal connection of the sideframes 11 of the scoop or guard to the arms 4: and 6, which incombination with the link construction, give an initial tilting to thescoop member, whereby the same is dropped quickly into close proximityto the road bed. It will be noted that this movement is essential sinceit brings the fender imme diately to its lowermost position ready toreceive a body or the like and prevents any portion thereof from gettingbeneath the guard. After this position has been reached the guard isfixed as far as further lower movement is concerned, the only additionalmovement being a forward or scooping one bringing the same to theposition indicated in dotted lines Fig. 5, in which 9 denotes the groundline.

40 designates a hand or foot lever passing through a suitable opening 41in the floor of the car and having a plurality of projections 42 thereonadapted to cooperate with a cross bar 43 of one of the hangers 2. Thislever l0, as here shown, ispivotally secured at 414 to the link 34 ofthe trip mechanism, whereby the latter may be operated by the motormanto drop the scoop or return the parts to normal position after anautomatic movement, it being noted that one or the other of theprojections 42 engages the cross bar i3 and holds the same in raisedposition. This lever a0 is preferably provided with a spring member 45,whereby the parts are maintained in locked position and cannot be jarredfree through movement of the cam.

It will be noted that an essential feature of my invention is thesuper-normal or above normal position which the device is adapted toassume, thus making three distinct positions of the fender possible, onethe normal, the second the operative and the third a position whereinthe fender and trip are shifted above the normal position out of thepath of any obstructions on the track.

In this latter or super-normal position the guard is inoperativerelative to a movement of the trip but is however capable of release bythe motorman, so that it becomes a gravity operated fender in thisposition.

In the operation of bringing the trip and guard to super-normal positionthe motorman raises the lever 40 and removes the trip 35 from trippingposition, thereby allowing the fender or guard to drop in front of thewheels of the car and in close proximity to the road bed. As soon asthis is accomplished the lever 28 is shifted through the medium of therod 28*, thereby moving the link 25 so as to swing the side arms 9 aboutthe pivot 10 and raise the fender frames 11 to the position indicated indotted lines. During this movement the cam finger 23 contacts with thepins 24, thus releasing the pins 20 and permitting them to moveforwardly in the slots 19 so that the parts assume the necessarysuper-normal position where they are held by suitably fastening the rod28* through the medium of the pin 39* until it is desired to lower theguard. By releasing the locking means from the rod 28*, the guard may bedropped by gravity to operative position.

Attention is directed to the cooperation between the lugs 7 and theextensions 8, as thereby rearward movement of the side arms 9 isprevented and a rigid substantially integral connection formed betweenthe arms 4 and 6.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a practical and efficientmeans of bringing a trip and drop scoop fender mechanism to inoperativeposition when desired, so that obstructions of a temporary or permanentnature may be avoided and the fender not affected thereby. It willfurthermore be apparent that this mechanism does not effect in any waywhatsoever the ef ficient operation of the fender when in use and allthe parts thereof perform their functions entirely independent of theshifting mechanism and a fender is provided which may be used or not atthe will of the operator of the car.

Attention is directed to the advantage of my novel mechanism inconnection with fenders located at each end of the car as thereby therear fender or guard with its tripping mechanism may be raised out ofthe way and locked in this position until it is desired to bring thesame again into operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a guard, a plurality of armssecured to said guard and pivotally mounted on a car, one of said armshaving a recess therein, a trip pivotally secured adjacent said recessedarm, means fixedly mounted on said trip and co-acting in normal positionwith said.

recess to form a lock, and an auxiliary device adapted to shift saidguard to a predetermined position, whereby said guard is renderedinoperative.

2. In a device of the character stated, a guard, a plurality of armssecured to said guard and pivotally mounted on a car, one of said armshaving a recess therein, a trip pivotally secured adjacent said recessedarm, a pin fixedly mounted on said trip and co-acting in normal positionwith said recess to form a lock, and an auxiliary device adapted toshift said guard to a predetermined position, whereby said guard isrendered inoperative.

3. In a device of the character stated, a guard, arms secured to saidguard and pivotally mounted on a car, one of said arms having a recesstherein, a trip pivotally secured adjacentsaid guard arms,apin on saidtrip co-acting in normal position with said recess to form a lock, meansto lock said guard in its tripped position, and an auxiliary deviceadapted to shift said guard to a predetermined position, whereby saidguard is rendered inoperative.

a. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of arms pivotallymounted on a car, a guard pivoted to said arms, a trip operativelyconnected to one of said arms to' move the same, means toeffect aswinging of said guard relative to said arms during the movement of saidarms, and an auxiliary device adapted to shift said guard to apredetermined position, whereby said guard is rendered inoperative.

5. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of arms pivotallymounted on a car frame, a guard pivoted to said arms, a trip pivotallysecured adjacent said arms, means operated by the movement of said tripto effect a swinging of said guard relative to said arms, and means toshift said guard to a super-normal position, whereby said guard isrendered inoperative relative to said trip.

6. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of arms pivotallymounted on a car frame, a guard comprising a plurality of side barspivoted to said arms, and side arms pivotally secured to said side bars,means to move said guard to operative position, and independent meanstoshift said guard to a predetermined position, whereby said guard isrendered inoperative relative to said trip.

7 In a fender adapted to move to normal, operative and super-normalpositions, the combination of a guard with a trip operatively connectedthereto, and means to shift said guard to super-normal position wherebysaid guard is rendered inoperative relative to said trip.

8. In a fender adapted to move to normal, operative and super-normalpositions, the combination of a guard with a trip operatively connectedthereto means to shift said 5 guard to super-normal position wherebysaid guard is rendered inoperative relative to said trip, and means tolock said guard in supernormal position.

9. In a fender adapted to move to normal,

10 operative and super-normal position the Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, D. C.

